Dallas comes in banged up, most notably QB Tony Romo, who will be a spectator from the sidelines, while 40-year-old Brad Johnson tries to lead the Cowboys over the Giants. The Giants are 8½-point favorites over a team that was the preseason favorites to win the NFC. Giants players say “No way” when asked if they will look past the banged-up ‘Boys.

“No, because it is the Cowboys and they are a great team,” Eli Manning said. “They have tremendous playmakers. Their front seven is extremely talented and we have to come with the mindset that we have to play our best football and we do. We have to play perfect football if we expect to have a chance of winning on Sunday.”

A loss and the Cowboys could drop to last place in the NFC East, if the Eagles beat the Seahawks, three games behind the Giants at the season’s halfway mark. That would put Dallas in a situation where it would have to jump three talented teams in the ultra-competitive NFC East to win the division.

A loss for the Giants would hurt in the standings, but it might hurt their pride more losing to an injury-depleted Cowboys team on their own turf.

“They are going to bring their best,” Manning said. “Every time the Cowboys and the Giants play it is a game that comes down to the wire in the fourth quarter and I don’t expect anything different. It is going to be a tight game, it is going to be a physical football game, and we have to bring our best.”